The Bell's Palsy Chronicles, Part Five.

Here we are in March, 2009. Phase Three of my Bell's Palsy is chugging along, I can always point to my left eyebrow to show that at least something has been happening. The three-month mark has passed. It is getting a little discouraging that I have nothing more to show for it but a little movement in the left eyebrow.

But on Saturday, February 28, 2009 I got up as usual and did my facial grimaces in the mirror, just to check don't you know. I thought there was some tiny movement below my left eye. But wasn't it only the right side pulling the skin across the nose as I'd noticed before? Hmm. It was impossible to tell. Over that weekend I kept peering into my face in the mirror to see, was there? Was there? And by the end of the first day I was convinced that there indeed was. Some movement of the cheek below the eye, a new wrinkle below the eye would appear.

As the workweek began, I eagerly and proudly started showing coworkers and students, and got mostly mystified looks or polite reactions. They obviously couldn't see much. But that Tuesday I think it was, March 4 2009, I was in the bathroom at work and actually noticed some movement around my mouth. If I gave a tiny, wintry smile, the left corner of the mouth went up too. Only slightly, but there it was. That really made my day, even though others could hardly see it.

From where I now sit, Saturday March 14 2009, there seems to have been a constant development in the last two weeks. The at first nearly imagined movement has in the meantime become really obvious. At first I had to look in the mirror to actually tell I was doing something, but in the meantime I can feel it, and can tell it with my hand to my cheek.

Still though I get these mystified looks when I point out my regained ability. Perhaps this is because it's normally the easiest thing in the world to smile. You don't think about it. So why is this guy so proudly showing off his crooked smile? Or maybe the restrained reactions from those who know me come from the fact that the amount I can move my left facial side is not yet really impressive. But I am happy that there's some improvement.